City Swiggers

I really like this place. Massive selection of beers, some of them are on the hard to find side so it’s my go to place for the rare stuff. Staff is always friendly and extremely knowledgeable. They always make great recommendations and know what’s on tap inside and out. The have 14 taps with a pretty extensive variety. The atmosphere is relaxing and laid back. People on their laptops, people doodling on their phones. Great place to kick back and have a few. They also have a few light snacks if you want to nosh. Always stop by when I’m in the area which is quite often.

This is my favorite beer bar in the city. It’s quiet and non-​assuming. The taps, though somewhat limited (15), are complimented by a huge bottle selection. Best of all, the bartenders are chill, kind, and non-​pretentious.
I can’t recommend this place enough.

Solid location to grab craft beer if you live in the neighborhood or are visiting the museums.
The draft beer list isn’t extensive but the options are fairly diverse, with a few fridges to choose from as well. The décor leaves a lot to be desired (think Good Beer in the East Village, but more room) and the $ 7 corking fee on bigger bottles is a bit of an anomaly, even in NYC.

Huge international and local craft beer choice. Best of all, it’s quiet, so perfect place for good conversation over a pint or two.

Great, even world class selection, but needs some help
Place to go if you need a special beer or you want to try things out, because they have incredible selection. But is it too much to ask for a price list or a list of preferred selections?
Old retail maxim: you can’t sell unpriced merchandise, individual cans /​bottles have price stickers, but if you want to see what is a good value or what is a don’t buy ripoff, you can’t.
I would like to support the store which has a unique concept, but how about some organization and user-​friendliness?

Friends in the neighborhood told me how awesome this place is, so I decided to have my birthday party here and it did not disappoint!
First, this place is awesome because they have such a huge selection of beer and cider and also some gluten free options for the gluten free among us. Prices are very reasonable!
Second, this place is awesome because they let you bring in your own food. We ordered a bunch of pizzas and also enjoyed a delicious birthday cake that my friend made. It was so much fun to be able to eat whatever we wanted from wherever we wanted — even birthday cake! As long as we brought it with us, of course.
Finally, this place is awesome because it’s never too crowded. I filled up while we were there, but it was not overcrowded.
City Swiggers is such a fun place for a party or just to hang out with friends. It’s much less stressful than the bar scene!

Decent but not overwhelming selection. The service was soo obnoxious that I would never ever go back and it’s too bad bc there aren’t that many places uptown for craft beer. However; I will gladly go downtown to avoid the nasty attitude!

Had a great time here last night, granted I was only supposed to have one and that didn’t happen, anyway, the selection of bottles and cans are great as well as the tap selection was very interesting, cool space kinda like Astoria bier and cheese. Met some cool people, the bartenders were great and I got a free glass since they were doing a tasting of this new Icelandic beer which was very good.

A very cool bottle shop/​tap room that isn’t too far from our normal base of operations in the UES. Yeah it’s a bit pricy, but it’s New York. It’s expected.
I didn’t load up too much. I’d done that at OEC in Oxford CT on the way down. But I did see two forelorn cases of Westbook Gose sitting on the floor all alone. So I saved a six-​pack from it’s lonely existence. It will be much more happy in my belly (update from when I started this review in June… the Gose was much happier in my belly)
I also gained a small window into the types of people who buy beer there, both good and bad. All the patrons were cool, enjoying their beers, asking questions. The beer I chose on tap was from Other Half Brewing in Brooklyn, one of their brett-​based sour ales. I was asked if I knew this was a sour, I told them I knew exactly what it was and throughly enjoyed it.
I was asked the same thing while checking out with the Westbrook by a different employee. I asked him if this was an ongoing problem and he laughed that it was, that a lot of people don’t know a thing about sour beers (or that they even exist.) We started chatting and it turns out his brother runs Enlightenment Ales (now on hiatus as he does a guest brewing gig in Denmark.)
Small world, it pays to be friendly :)

If you love beer, you’ll love this place. No question about it.
Pretty much EVERYTHING you could possibly want. I’ve never seen such an extensive selection at pretty reasonable prices.
If you love IPAs, try Victory Golden Monkey ($ 2.99) and Ithaca Flower Power.
So so so many ciders! Try the Kopparberg pear cider for ~$ 3 – 4
All the Belgian ales you could want too.
Of course they rotate their selection, so the one time I was there, they actually did not have Dogfish 90 minute in stock but they did have pretty much everything else. A little disappointed, but pretty sure that doesn’t happen often.
I have absolutely no complaints about this place and I’m super excited to try everything!

I would like to start by saying that city swiggers is more of a lifestyle than it is a bar, bottle shop, or growler dispensary. The folk who frequent this bar are down to earth, fun and come from every age group and every walk of life. The people at this bar are always happy to include you in conversations if you want, but won’t bother you if you’re just doing your own thing. Without a doubt, it can be your neighborhood Cheers if you want it to be.
Now, for city swiggers as a bar, bottle shop, and growler dispensary. This place is FULL of total beer nerds — both behind the counter and the patrons who shop/​drink here. The bar tenders are very knowledgable and well versed in anything you need to know about their selection or just beer in general.
The taps rotate constantly, and when this place has something special up, you better get there before the rest of the upper east side gets to it. There is always a range of beers (and ciders) here and they tend to keep beer types associated with a tap. Example — number 7 is always an IPA. They are always happy to give you sip tastes if you are unsure about a selection and help you figure out what you’d like. Beers price and pour size corresponds to ABV, cost of the keg, and how special it is. They also pour growlers — you can bring your own or purchase theirs — 32oz, 64oz, and 64oz soft shell. They also have an extensive rotating bottle/​can selection for you to purchase for home or enjoy in the store (there is a corking fee — $ 2 I think).
There is a range of seating options for whatever group you bring. A huge front table for standing and talking, the bar itself, 2 seater bar-​top tables, and several normal tables. You can bring kids, games, food, basically whatever you want for as long as you want so long as you are drinking beers. For kids, they do have a shelf of non-​alcoholic sodas and whatnot. Last thing is that they do have snack foods — hot pretzels ($ 2), vegan empanadas ($ 3 — and don’t knock em till you try em), some chips, and sometimes some nuts.

99 bottles of beer on the wall…
99 bottles of beer…
Wait, that’s not quite right; there’s much more than that here.
If only Sublime knew about this place they may have written a song called «400 Brews to Freedom». Hundreds of different craft brews from the world over including a beer bar filling pints and growlers alike from an ever-​evolving draft menu at prices unfit (ie inexpensive) for the UES make this a salvation from your typical liquor store blues.
They even cater to the season, seeing as how it was early September when I came (thanks to a hat-​tip from Phil H.) they carried an enormous selection of pumpkin brews! Seriously, anything you can imagine and more. It’s like walking through an orange-​ish vortex into an Alice In Wonderland-​type acid induced euphoric world where buildings are made of delicious booze. AKA heaven.
Don’t wait until you die when heaven is just a few steps from the 4,5,6 trains.

Excellent selection of beer! They have many bottled beer that you can create your own 6 pack (mix and match style) or just purchase individually.
The bottled beer a piece is pretty cheap ~$ 3.
They offer beer flights that change each day, and plenty of space to sit, like a normal bar. (They also sell beer by the growler if you’re one of those type people).
We came with a big group and had plenty of space at about 2pm on a saturday. They had a few food options, but no one ordered (pretzels, empanadas).
I would recommend the grapefruit hefeweizen, suuuuuuuuuper good.

I haven’t written a review of City Swiggers yet? I don’t know why I haven’t. I’ve brought in out-​of-​town friends, bonded with co-​workers and even been there for the BCS release and drank myself silly over glasses of Madame Rose. I think as a bottle shop and a tap room it’s a good place to come to and even when it gets super crowded it’s, well okay, it can get super crowded but when it isn’t it’s pretty easy to strike up a conversation with folks.
The staff there is nice and friendly even during some pretty hectic times (BCS raffle) and honestly, never had a bad experience. My only hang up is that if I want something to eat I have to close out and go somewhere else, although they recently started serving empanadas but I’ve yet to try them out.
Oh also, collapsible mylar growlers.

I love this place. I’ve swung by City Swiggers many times to pick up a couple of bottles to go, and recently took the time to sit and have a couple of pints which was even better. For starters, their beer selection (whether bottled or on draught) is bar none (especially in the Upper East Side) and the friendly, approachable neighborhood vibe here makes it the awesome place that it is.
Whether you’re a seasoned pro when it comes to beer, or a newbie, there’s something for you at City Swiggers. The selection includes lots of old stand-by’s and even more unique, lesser seen brews for when you’re feeling adventurous. Sitting in for a couple of pints was a real treat. There’s a chalkboard listing the 14 beers on tap (all available to taste before you buy, by the glass or growler) and it’s a great spot to while away an hour or two and chat up some fellow beer lovers (just what I did). They also have those cute tasting paddles if you want to try more than one!
The staff here are great — The bartender John knows so much about beer and is happy to share his knowledge. Chatty, friendly and informed, which definitely adds to the experience. Overall, I’m glad we have a place like City Swiggers in the ‘hood, and I’m now a virtual regular, so I couldn’t recommend it more highly.

Really? I’ve never reviewed Swiggers? We had our engagement party after-​party here nearly 2 years ago! The other reviews pretty much say it all– fantastic selection to drink here or to take home. Great advice and recommendations from the bartenders and just an all-​around good time! As good as it gets for craft beer lovers!
They also usually have wine (though not always) for those that are friends with beer lovers and do not enjoy the same beverages.

Bottled beer is never the same as draft. The Lambic selection is great and tastes good. Not a fan of the Delerium Red in the bottle (tastes like Nyquil), I prefer it on tap. Great selection for craft beer!

I love it here! If I lived in the area, this would definitely be my neighborhood bar. As it is, I still keep finding myself here way more than I’d expect for a bar on the other side of Manhattan.
First of all, their bottle selection is unbelievable. Absolutely worth it just to come browse that. Their drafts are also a good variety, and all are $ 7 which is really nice. The ambiance is really laid back but also a cool/​hip kind of vibe. There are sometimes people in the back working on laptops and stuff almost like a café, but also people around the bar socializing, so it’s a really cool spot for whatever you’re looking for.
Definitely come by here if you’re a craft beer fan. It’s so worth it.

SPECIALTY BEER STORE w/​lots of single bottled beers you can’t find elsewhere… you can even create your own six pack mix OR sit in at the bar where they have $ 7 drafts
some of the beers are chilled some are not & if you want to enjoy it RIGHT THEN & THERE, you’ll have to fork over a $ 3 corkage fee
THANKS CITY SWIGGERS for having the Rekorderlig cider. so glad someone carries it & i finally got to try it. the verdict? the strawberry lime flavor is delish!
NOTE: they advertised tastings on Wednesday and Fridays last time I went, i’d check to see if this is still available though

I had a great time here. I was in New York for a couple of days before leaving on a cruise and was staying with one of my best friend’s from childhood/​adolescence. I hadn’t seen him in a few years and I’d never met his boyfriend and wouldn’t you know, we ended up bonding over our fondness for craft beer. I think it was his idea to take me here before we had dinner.
I walked in and was in awe over their beer selection. I’m not a craft beer aficionado but I love trying new kinds and looking at all the fun labels and names.
We took a seat at the bar and decided to enjoy a glass or two. I wish I could remember what in the hell I drank. I got a huge glass for a modest price. They allowed us samples of anything they had on tap. The first one I tried was the one I ordered the entire glass of. I really wish I could remember where it was brewed. Michigan maybe? Who knows.
They had a chalkboard thing on the wall that listed everything they had on top, you could get a glass for $ 7 and I actually think mine was cheaper. It was the featured one maybe?
They also let us try a little bit of some chocolate stout that I could barely take a sip of. I gave the rest of it to the fellas to finish for me, which they did.
They had an awesome piece of phallic artwork on the wall behind us, which I loved.
Staff was awesome and friendly, they took good care of us.